Author of Confusion
1 Corinthians 14:33
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
One of the attributes that led to the worldliness and fleshly actions of the church at Corinth was the disorder in the church. One would think that disorder would not aid in sin, but God shows us otherwise. It was the confusion in the church that led to fornication, false doctrine, women preachers and dysfunctional homes.
In the verse above, God says that He "is not the author of confusion." That would mean that the Devil is the author of confusion. If God is the author of order, then the Devil is the author of disorder and confusion. The word "author" means, "One who produces or creates."In other words, God's ways do not produce confusion or disorder. If a person will follow the ways of God, then they will find there is peace.
Any time there is confusion, you will find instability, disorder, commotion and uncertainty. God is teaching us that He is not the author of these things. God wants us to be stable in life. God wants us to have peace in life. God wants us to experience order in all that we do. God wants us to be confident in how things are handled. Yet, if confusion reigns in our lives, then we will not experience these things. I find in this chapter there are some contributors to confusion.
First, improper roles of authority will contribute to confusion. It is interesting that you find women leading the men in this chapter. According to the Scriptures, this should not be. You will also see that there was more than one person in dual authorities. Again, this will cause confusion. God wants authority to be clear, and He wants authority to be in its proper place. Two pastors leading the same church will cause confusion. A home with dad and mom both vying for the leadership role will create confusion. Authorities must be clearly identified in every area of your life if you want to avoid confusion. Then once they are identified, you must keep them in their proper order.
Second, improper purpose will cause confusion. Verse 26 teaches us that everything is to be done to edify. In other words, everything we do in life should be done with a purpose of building people. If a church starts a ministry to get bigger and not to build people, then that church will experience confusion. Your purpose in everything you do should be to build people. Don't use people to build your efforts or work, but use your work or efforts to build people.
Third, improper handling of truth causes confusion. You will find in verse 36 that everything is to be based upon the Word of God. I have found that when we base our actions upon feelings and what we think and see, it always causes confusion. If you want peace, then make the Word of God your final authority. Let God's Word dictate every action.
Finally, verse 38 shows us that ignorance causes confusion. One of the reasons we teach is to avoid confusion. There are many people who are confused in life because they simply don't know how to do what they are doing. Knowing how to do things, and implementing what you know to do will keep you and others from being confused.
Christian, God wants us to be organized in life. He knows that if you will be organized and avoid these areas that cause confusion, that you will experience peace. God is the author peace, but that peace will only come through organization. Be sure to clarify the authorities in your life. Keep your purpose precise and clear. Let truth be the foundation that you build upon, and be sure that you learn how to do things in the areas of your ignorance. This will keep you from confusion, and it will help you to live a life of peace.